New Ulm weekly review., 1887-03-02
FEBRUARY.
What has Happened During this Shortest Mentb
Of the Year.


little February is very much disliked
by most everybody. 1t has the mis-.
fortune to happen along when people
are tired of the cold, snowy days Of
winter, but still February is obliged
to be cold and snowy. 1t has to be
this by the laws of nature, but that
makes no difference with the great
mass OF people. They think only oi
their own comfort. Poets seem to
avoid February, FOR poetry about
this month is scarce. Possibly in
this respect the month IS fortunate.
There seems to be q dispute as to Just
where February got its name, for some
maintain that it's name is derived from
the Latin februare, which means to
purify, as the old Romans had Gus.
tom OF general publications in the lat
ter part OF this month. Other authors
say that the month receives it's name
from the goddess Februa, who is sup.
posed to be Identical with Juno. But
the more commonly accepted idea OF
the month is that it's name came from
the Roman divinity Februus, who was
identified with Pluto OF the lower world
The month was placed in the year at
the same time as was January by the
Emperor Numa, about TIP B. C.
But although February is theshort.
est month Of the year, and is one which
has few friends, not few events ol
Importance are recorded as taking
place during the month. This is the
time when Cupid in the form OF St.
Valentine is supposed to be putting in
his work, and although the custom oi
sending missives of love on the 14th
has somewhat declined, still Cupid is
quite an important parsonage in this
month, and will not be ignored.
But the event for which February is
most famous in the eyes and
hearts of Americans is that on the
22d Of the month was born the only
American who never told lie. At
least, George Washington is the only
man in this country who is recorded
as never telling q lie. And now the
small boy stays at home from school
on the 22d of the month, and cele-
brates the birthday Of the father OF
this country by getting thoroughly
tired out. But celebrating Washing.
tons birthday does no one any great
harm, but. on the contrary, results in
much good.
There have been g. good many men
born in February who have afterward
become great. The marquis of Sails
bury was first taken in his nurses
arms on the Sd of February, 1880,
and on the same day Of theyear 1929
Mendelssohn first gave evidence of his
musical soul which afterward devel.
oped into such grandeur. On the 7th
OF the month in 1912, Charles Dickens
was born, surely an event of which
any month may be we'll proud. AS
the first and greatest president,
Washington, was born in this month,
so it has the honor OF product him
who by common consent is entitled to
the fame Of being the second greatest
president the country has ever had
Abraham Lincoln was born on the
18th Of the month. Again one of the
greatest phllanthropists this country
has ever produced. George Pea.
body, first opened his eyes to the
world on the 18th OF this month
in the year 1907. Although Feb.
ruary is not a month over which
poets are enthusiastic, it was on the
9th Of this month that the most
famous OF Americas poets, Henry w.
Lonefellow, first sang his little songs,
although it is not recorded whether
they were in rhyme or not.
Having SO many distinguished men
born in it's day, the next thought is to
see who died while the days were call.
ed February. And the list OF persons
who have gone to their final rest in
February is o most distinguished one,
and Includes Thomas Carlyle, Mary,
queen OF Scote, and Martin Luther.
But February OF last year saw many
notable men OF this country expire,
for in this month died John D. Phil.
brick, Gen. Winfield S. Hancock, ex.
Gov. Seymour, John B. Cough and
Prof. John Pattock
February is apt to be a very CAV
month socially in this section of coun.
try, and this will be mora than eve,
the case this year, for Ash Wednesday
the beginning OF Lent, occurs this year
on the 23d, and people will have to
crowd their pleasures between the LIST
and the 23d in order to be considered
socially correct.
But cold and uncomfortable as is
February it has in it many pleasant
days, and although there is little visi-
bic progress in nature and even the
Old Farmers Almanac can only say
that it is q good month for filling ir
swamps, yet it is necessary to the
growth OF the coming vegetation, in
the same manner that the period in
the boys age, between six and twelve
years of age, when he appears to be
an awkward ungainly piece Of the hu
man furniture. And in the same man
ner this time will give him strength
and beauty in the. time which follows
Ex-Gov. Curtin tells the story of the
recovery OF his eyesight as follows: 81
went to the oculist absolutely scepti
CAL He looked at NV e17n and said he